Garden of Gods
by Ridell
Summary: The land rejoiced at the Dark King's death. Parades, parties, and banquets were held in honor of the savior who had slain the evil dictator. Link, meanwhile, hid in his treehouse, plotting his next adventure. [Zelink]
1. Knight in Shining Armor

Garden of Gods

* * *

_Child of the wilderness  
Born into emptiness  
Learn to be lonely  
Learn to find your way in darkness _

Who will be there for you  
Comfort and care for you  
Learn to be lonely  
Learn to be your one companion

Never dreamed out in the world  
There are arms to hold you  
You've always known your heart was on its own

So laugh in your loneliness  
Child of the wilderness  
Learn to Be lonely  
Learn how to love life that is lived alone

Learn to be lonely  
Life can be lived life can be loved alone.

-Phantom of the Opera

* * *

**Chapter One**

Link stared at the muddy surface of a pond, quietly watching the sunlight dance on the green surface, as if waiting for something to rise up from the murky depths.

When he stared hard enough, he could see tiny, translucent fish swimming, darting from algae clump to algae clump. His eyes burned from keeping them open for so long, glaring down into the deep waters. Sometimes he could see an endless, frothing, white wave of dots at the bottom of the pond reminiscent of Great Bay...although his mind drifted far from the nameless pond in the middle of Kokiri Forest.

It was strange, having a blade in his hands, but nothing to kill. Years of adventure had at last come to an end. The sword evoked memories of beautiful places, and a bitter taste came to his mouth. There was no where else to run to; he had come, he had conquered. Saved Hyrule, saved Termina, and nameless other territories. He often dreamed of venturing in dark dungeons, slaying countless monsters. Sometimes he wished Ganondorf was still alive...at least then he would have an obstacle to overcome.

Twelve years had passed since the final battle against Ganon. The towns had returned to normalcy, heroes and villains eventually faded, as heroes and villains were destined to do. Somewhere, maybe someone had forgotten the name of Link, Hero of Time, and his legacy. Maybe his name lay rotting somewhere in a musty book, in some old library.

Link, on the other hand, never wanted to forget. He loved the feeling of adrenaline pounding in his veins, the prospect of death dangling right in front of his nose. He loved the sound of metal against metal, the feel of his enemy's blood on his hands. He loved it all.

His evil-fighting posse had disassembled, sealed away forever in their respective temples, and Zelda was busy learning to rule the world. Betrothed, probably, to some rich, snooty prince, living her little fairy tale, as princesses and their Knight-in-Shining-Armor do.

He looked at his reflection in the pond. A battle-starved man stared back, blue eyes wide and hungry for adventure. He wondered what happened to the innocent, fairyless boy from Kokiri Forest.

Zelda had tried to hold him back, tried to curb his wandering ways by offering him a any position he wanted in the military. A military of cowards unable to slay half of the monsters he had encountered. To return to Zelda was like cutting off his own wings; he would never be able to soar far and free ever again.

He desired freedom. He craved obstacles. He had wanted to kill those that challenged him, all of them, one by one. Wanted an opponent that could give him a good fight, an opponent that could make him strive to become better. He wanted to best them all, make them beg on their knees for their pathetic lives and recognize that he had always been better, had always been stronger.

A good challenge was worth _everything_.

He had stared down Death once upon a time, gazed into its gaping black darkness. He had felt its rancid breath against his face as he lay half-conscious, a stench that smelled of rotting flesh and metal that brought tears to his eyes, hot and putrid. He heard a woman screaming his name faintly, somewhere far, far away. The Master Sword clattered beside him, spinning to a halt on the rough stone ground, jolting him out of his stupor. If he squinted hard enough, he saw Zelda, standing behind a ring of fire, blonde hair plastered to her face, her expression terrified as Death advanced slowly toward her. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, his heart thumping excitedly against his ribs as the Master Sword was slipping from his wet palms. He raised the Master Sword and stabbed his opponent again and again, dodging swiftly each counter-attack. The fact that each breath he drew may have been his last made him almost giddy with anticipation. He remembered flashes of fire, pain, and blood, swirling around him like a storm. Plunging his sword between his foe's eyes, the fight was at last brought to an end as the beast fell down at Link's feet in a pool of blood and spit. It was over. Ganon was dead, the manic light extinguished from his eyes.

When it was all over, Zelda stood in front of him, exhausted, beautiful, and broken. She apologized for endangering him, corrupting an innocent boy for her own mistakes. He said nothing, and she asked for the Ocarina back. Next thing he knew, he was standing in front of the Master Sword pedestal in the Temple of Time.

Historians wrote him down as something of a God, a hero that rose out of nowhere, clad in green and wielding the legendary blade, and saved Hyrule from perpetual doom. Details of his battles he couldn't recall were recklessly thrown in, magnifying his greatness. It would have made his parents proud.

The land rejoiced at the Dark King's death. Parades, parties, and banquets were held in honor of the savior who had slain the evil dictator. Link, meanwhile, hid in his tree-house, plotting his next adventure.

But now, there was nothing. Link spent endless hours roaming the forest, dreaming great things. He dreamt of angry dragons that snatched away beautiful women, and that he would be called upon to rescue the damsel in distress, and of defeating an entire enemy army in the defense of a war-worn nation. He dreamt that he would never have to save another cat from a tree or stop a runaway goat ever again...Men like him should never return to a life of ease or predictability.

But he returned, returned to a foreign world of routine and tranquility. He had not expected to return; the life of a hero was supposed to be brief and glorious. Heroes weren't supposed to grow old. Heroes were supposed to venture off into strange, far-away lands to save people, and never return. They were supposed to die in their peak of greatness.

However, fate decided that he would outlive his fame and adventure, restrain him to a routinely life. Fate also decided that one day, while on a hunting trip, he would catch sight of Hyrule Castle. It was dusk; he had just shot a rabbit and was stooping down to retrieve his prey. The rabbit had given him a hard chase-- he was far from the borders of Kokiri Forest. Link removed the arrow from the carcass, and he saw her. The inpenetrable, sturdy fortress. Darkness had fallen, and the drawbridge was raising. Though it had been years since he heard the sound, he remembered the slow creaking of the platform well.

Hyrule Castle. The emblem of power, of strength, and of order. A place brimming with old memories of tea parties under old elm trees and of pain. Of hope.

He remembered Zelda's offer, her feminine voice echoing in the back of his head. Perhaps...

_Dare he return..?_

A frown knit his brows. Dare he return, and allow a leash to be put around his neck like a noose? Dare he return, only to become a military dog?

**_"No position will be beyond your reach..."_**

The wind caught behind his cap as he stood, gazing.

_Tomorrow..._

* * *

**Author's Note: **Wahh! So much shorter than I wanted it to be...Well, the introductions are usually shorter, I suppose. Anyway. The title seems wierd right now, yes, but I promise, it will tie in with the story later. Oh and by the way...I own Zelda...just kidding. KIDDING! haha. Ah, well. Constructive critism is definitely good, so leave lots:-D 


	2. Ice Princess

**Garden of Gods**

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! I promise (or at least, hope) that I can get the third chapter out soon. July-ish, maybe? Or beginning of August? One can only hope. Anyhoo, r&r._

Author's Note 2: Hey all! I did a major re-write of this chapter...I was reading through GoG, wondering why I haven't updated in a long while, and I realized that before I move on to the 3rd chapter, I had to clean this chapter up, big time. So...ta-da. Cleaner, clearer, longer. Altogether, a better chapter by far compared to what it was before. Hooray! r&r!!

* * *

_I woke up today  
Woke up wide awake  
In an empty bed  
Staring at an empty room  
I have myself to blame  
For the state I'm in today  
And now dying  
Doesn't seem so cruel  
And oh, I don't know what to say  
And I don't know anyway  
Anymore_

_I hate myself for losing you  
I'm seeing it all so clear  
I hate myself for losing you  
What do you do when you look in the mirror  
And staring at you is why he's not here?_

**_-Kelly Clarkson (I Hate Myself for Losing You)_**

**CHAPTER TWO: ICE PRINCESS**

Zelda Harkinian glared down at her mug of tea, and the tea stared right back up at her.

Elbow propped up on the desk, her palm supported her chin, fingers curving up slightly against her porcelain cheek, she glared down at her lemony, caffeinated drink, as if daring it to move. Although she had been awake for quite a while, she was still far from awake. She was also far from asleep, caught somewhere between a caffeine rush and hazy dreams of her knight in shining armor carrying her away from "Hyrule Wars: A Complete Understanding of Military Tactics". To where, who knew, and who cared? Anywhere but here.

Absently, she wondered why commoners' daughters dreamed of becoming princesses. Foolish children's dreams, fueled by sweets and manual labor and tales of glory and riches and pampering. Court life harbored no room for mistakes, even for a princess. The nobles whispered into ladies' ears, and they twittered back, chirping gossip as if their life depended on it. And it did, in a manner of speaking. As the King's confidant and sole heiress, every move was under scrutiny, every word dissected for any hidden meaning. Life as a princess was a game, played dangerously at the fingertips; a constant, tiresome charade of scandal and talks of dowries and studying.

She had stayed up late last night as a result of procrastination, flipping through ancient texts of Zoran feuds. Now, she was enjoying a conciousness solely dependant on caffeine.

"Still on the first page?" A soft, gentle voice asked from behind her.

Zelda grimaced, and shifted her eyes to the open book in front of her. "It's boring. Why don't you try reading it, Father?"

King Harkinian eyed his daughter sternly, picked up the old book, and read the first page. Zelda watched as his eyes skimmed through, and she could tell that he barely took in any of the text. The King took a while to respond. "Strange things are happening in Hyrule, daughter. It would be prudent to know something of warfare, if dark times should come during your reign." A frown marred his kind face, wrinkles creasing his forehead. "You, my child, are the last of the bloodline. Nor foreign Prince nor Duke could ever rule in the stead of a Harkinian. There will be a day when the crown will be placed on top of your head, and my people will look to you in times of need."

Zelda scowled, but the King didn't notice. Before she could reply, the arched double doors opened, and High Chancellor Grimford strayed in, his maroon robes billowing out behind him, a stack of official-looking papers in his hands. Zelda had always thought he was a rather ugly old man, with beady dark eyes set close over a long, sniffing nose in a thin face. "Your Majesty. Your Highness," Grimford nodded at them. "Your Majesty, begging your pardon, but there is a gentleman waiting to see you in the Grand Hall. He says to give this--" the Chancellor brandished a few papers from his robes. "--to you. Papers regarding stationing forces, I believe. The man who gave them to me told them it would be in your best interest to look at these now."

King Harkinian set down the book to study the forms. "No, these are regarding military acceptance," he corrected. "We've got a new recruit for calvary. Ah! So the good man has returned at last, eh? Well, we'll see how good the wandering pup has gotten. File these, Grimford."

"Yes, of course, your Majesty," the High Chancellor agreed, and in a moment, he was gone, the pattering of his footsteps dying away in the echoing hallways.

"See to it that you read that," King Harkinian chided Zelda, nodding to the book, and followed Grimford.

"Not if I fall asleep first," Zelda mumbled, fighting to keep her eyes open as she skimmed the first paragraph. She reached inside her collar and pulled out a thin chain, on it attached the Ocarina of Time. Instantly, she felt a strong rush of nostalgia, and she instantly squashed it. She remembered the night with a kind of dull ache, like a thin, white-hot needle poked in the base of her skull.

"Now return home. To where you should be, in the form you should have..."

That had been perhaps her worst moment. Everything she had ever wanted had been handed to her on a silver platter, but her foolish pride had gotten in the way. In an attempt to repent for her mistakes, she sent Hyrule back seven years. Now, she almost regretted those actions.

She shook her head sharply, and tried to focus on the book, skimming through the pages.

After about ten minutes of staring off into space, Zelda gave up reading and stood up and yawned. She stretched, and drank the rest of the tea. Her nose wrinkled at the aftertaste, and she examined the gunk at the bottom of the mug: a mix of half-dissolved lumps of sugar and a lemon wedge, along with remnants of nasty tea. She set down the cup, disgusted. Better not to think about that right now...

Rubbing her temples where she felt a dull headache lurking, she squinted at a piece of parchment paper floating precariously on the edge of the maple desk. Ahh, yes...her schedule. She still had that boring book to finish, followed by an extensive lunch affair with the Duke of Tembas, a hopeful suitor from a neighboring land. Then, she was to return to her chambers, where court would gather, and she would, again, do her duties as princess and entertain, her insincere courtier smile plastered to her face as noblemen attempted to charm their way to her heart with their dry wits and gold.

Zelda smiled wryly at that. Men were so predictable; they flocked her like a bloodhound drawn to prey. They craved power and their own sexual desires, and they found it rolled into a neat package that was her. A princess of unsullied reputation, who commanded both power and wealth, second to only the King, and had all the beauty in the world. If one could marry her, the entire kingdom would lay at their feet--so it was only natural that Zelda drew suitors like bees to honey. Still, with the variety of courtiers that presented themselves as potential marriage prospects, Zelda took no interest. They were not the sword-wielding hero she dreamed of. They could not tell the fantastic stories of victorious knights and vanquished monsters, could never be the savior of a kingdom. The courtiers all paled in comparison to the bright-eyed, green-capped commoner.

Life was lonely, especially after she had sealed the Sages away in the Sacred Realm. Even Impa, her nursemaid and sole friend from court, was gone. Bonds formed from battle and severed by battle, friendships forfeited for peace. She could still feel the roar of battle in her eardrums, the blood and adrenaline pounding in her veins, the heat of flames beating against her face.

Only one friend had stayed in the end. The Hero of Time, her childhood companion. He visited her often, but after a heated quarrel over his recklessness and wandering habits, he ultimately chose adventure over their comradeship. He disappeared to Termina, and she had found a few days later the Ocarina of Time in the courtyard. And that was that.

Little had changed in Hyrule. The meadows just as lush and green as ever, the lakes and rivers as dappled and tranquil, and the people as ignorant and cheap as ever.

Nothing had changed, except for Zelda. Those seven years trapped alone at court had turned her cold, frosted her over in a kind of icy shield to ward off the unknown. An ice princess.

Sometimes, the loneliness would become unbearable. On the days that she could escape court, she would go into the field, dressed as a boy, and run. Run and run until the pain in her lungs drowned out the lonliness, and the aching in her thighs distracted her. It scared her that loneliness could fill a person up so fast. As she lay amongst the reeds by Lake Hylia, she absently wondered why she didn't just abandon the crown and her claim to the throne and search for happiness herself. She watched as shapeless clouds drifted lazily past in the sky, and wondered if the fairyless boy would return to the castle courtyard to see her that day. That day turned into weeks, and weeks into seven years, as she waited patiently for his return.

Her father would notice it sometimes, caught a flash of it in her behavior, and tried to be soothing and interested. He summoned noblemen from the far reaches of the kingdom, hoping one might capture her attention and cure her sadness. He brought ladies-in-waiting to accompany his daughter. He called for countless musicians, artists, and jesters to entertain in her recieving rooms, hoping to see her smile like she had for the boy from the forest. Though Zelda was touched at her father's concern, she brushed him off, saying it was nothing. Eventually, he gave up.

Zelda's eyes burned, like when you read too much and your eyes were dry, or like the sensation before you cry. Maybe she was just destined to be lonely. Either way, she understood the emotion no better than she could quell it. It was like a leech, sucking quietly until it was all she felt.

_Tired. So very tired._

She felt sorry for herself. She despised the feeling; it had never accomplished anything but made her look stupid and wasted time. She blinked away oncoming tears, and picked up the book.

"Begging your pardon, Princess." The door creaked open, and a jaunty-looking maid peered in. "But the King inquires. Would you like to wash before lunch, Your Highness?"

Zelda hastily wiped her eyes with her sleeve, and turned away from the doorway. Blindly, she reached for her copy of Wars of Hyrule and flipped to a random page. "Yes. Bring some water up to my chamber. It doesn't matter if it's hot or cold. I'll be up in just a moment."

When the clop of the maid's heels faded, she set the book down and sighed. The Duke of Tembas would be waiting...

The sunlight caught in her blonde hair as she strode down the corridor, her blue eyes dark and unfathomable. Zelda decided, as she descended the last flight of steps and opened the large, wooden door that led to her privy chambers, that there was no reason to tear herself apart over an old friend long gone. No reason at all.

* * *

To the reviewers:

**Calliyuga:** Hey, thanks! And yes, "Death" was referring to Ganon. I was kinda nervous with that, I wasn't sure if many people would understand. :-)

**linka:** Thanks a lot! I hope you like this chapter!

**UltSpideyfan83:** Thank you for the review! I hope this chapter was to your liking.

**Great Beaver:** Heey! Thanks bunchies for beta-ing the first chapter, and for the review! AOL messenger is down right now, but we should get to work anyway on SSSS:-D

**MentalityatitsWorst:** Thanks for both the LJ review and the review! You should get back to writing (and the stuff on your account isn't garbage)!

**Fanficnerd:** Thanks! I honestly hope that you like this chapter, too!

**Decade:** heheh Lotr is awesome (I am such a nerd lol!). Thanks for the review!

**Blue Irish: **hey! yeah, no, I don't mind at all. Don't worry :-) Just wait and see what tricks he has up his sleeve in the coming chapters! Thanks for the review!!

**Anne Morgan: **yeah...I made this one about 700 words longer than before? Maybe-ish? so yay! Still a bit shorter than what I'd like...future chapters, I hope, will be something like 3000-4000 words per chapter, if not more. Thanks for the review!

**Divine Demoiselle: **hello! I'm glad you review so much on my fics--it makes me very, very happy! Yeah, like I said earlier, I'm trying to make these chapters longer...I know they're really short right now. heheh thanks for all the comments! It makes me feel loved :-)

* * *

R&R

Ridell

* * *


End file.
